It's been a bit of a wait, but the Social Housing White Paper was finally published in November 2020. This is an important paper as it will shape the way we work together; landlord and residents.
Here at BCHG we've been working on its arrival for over one year by becoming an early adopter of Together with Tenants. This is a sector-wide initiative focused on strengthening the relationship between residents and housing association landlords.
The white paper itself, which is a large 76 page document, describes the measures a landlord needs to take on safety, performance and engagement, as well as an increased role for the Regulator of Social Housing and Housing Ombudsman.
There are seven key themes in the form of a 'Charter' that aim to rebalance the relationship between residents and their landlord. The seven themes are:
1. To be safe in your home
2. To know how your landlord is performing
3. To have complaints dealt with promptly and fairly
4. To be treated with respect and this is backed by strong consumer regulation
5. To have your voice heard by your landlord, individually and collectively
6. To have good quality home and neighbourhood to live in
7. To be supported to take steps to home ownership
To read the white paper, click here.
